Biography Paul Barbarin

Adolphe Paul Barbarin (May 5, 1899 – February 17, 1969) was a jazz drummer from New Orleans.

Barbarin grew up in New Orleans in a family of musicians, including his father, three of his brothers, and his nephew (Danny Barker). He was a member of the Silver Leaf Orchestra and the Young Olympia Band. He moved to Chicago in 1917 and worked with Freddie Keppard and Jimmie Noone. From 1925–1927, he was a member of King Oliver's band. During the following year, he moved to New York City and played in Luis Russell's band for about four years. He left Russell and worked as a freelance musician, but he returned to Russell's band when it supported Louis Armstrong. For a brief time beginning in 1942, he worked for Red Allen's sextet, with Sidney Bechet in 1944 and Art Hodes in 1953. In 1955 he founded the Onward Brass Band in New Orleans. He spent the rest of his life as the leader of that band.

Barbarin died on February 17, 1969, while playing snare drums during a Mardi Gras parade. Record producer Al Rose said that his funeral "attracted one of the great mobs in New Orleans funeral history."

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